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Akira’s phone buzzed in the middle of the morning, as he watched an old mystery movie with Morgana. He glanced at it, and wasn’t surprised with what he read.
Ryuji: group meeting in akiras room after class
Ryuji: bring food
And, just as he said, the whole group gathered at Leblanc in the afternoon, with bags full of chips, candies, and other snacks to share. Akira wouldn’t complain: with his supposed suicide, it became difficult for him to leave his room, and, because of it, he always had too much free time and too much boredom. So, to be honest, he was happy that his friends were trying to comfort him.
They all sat on the floor, in front of the television, while Futaba turned the video game on.
“So, who goes first?” she asked.
“I will, of course,” said Akira. “This room is mine, you’re the intruders.”
“Visitors, you dickhead!” Ryuji nudged his friend’s arm with his elbow. “Fine, then I’ll be player two. I came up with the meeting, after all.”
“Intrusion,” insisted Akira.
“Don’t be ungrateful,” retorted Ryuji. “I’ll fuckin’ destroy you!”
“I want to see you try.”
Despite his words, Akira knew he was doomed even before they began: truth was he sucked at fighting games. Adventure ones? Sure. RPGs? He felt like a master. Racing games? He could survive. Fighting games, though… If his life depended on it, he’d probably die.
It didn’t take long for his lack of skill to show, as Ryuji’s character caught him in combo after combo, and all Akira managed to do was kick the air in the hopes of hitting him. It wasn’t like Ryuji was that good in that game either, but, compared to him, he could pass as a pro.
“C’mon, Akira…” protested Futaba. “Put up a fight!”
“I’m doing my best…” he said.
“Yeah, he just sucks,” added Ryuji, a victorious smile already on his lips.
Seconds later, it was over, with two consecutive victories for Ryuji, with Akira barely managing to drain a third of his health.
“Fuck yeah!” celebrated Ryuji with an excited laugh.
“No…”
Akira dramatically fell to the side, landing on Ann’s lap, who gave him a few comforting taps on the shoulder.
“Makoto…” he said in a low, suffering voice, offering her the controller. “Avenge me.”
“I’ll do my best, fellow warrior,” she answered with a playful smile.
Akira got up, going to his bed, where he could cry all of his sorrow away, and as he passed by Futaba, she offered him an open bag of gummy bears.
“Here, some consolation candy,” she said.
“I’ll need more than that to restore my pride,” he answered, taking the bag with him, anyway.
“Stop being such a drama queen!” complained Ryuji.
“Yes, there can only be one Queen in our group,” added Haru.
A low chuckle left Makoto’s lips before the first round began, and, immediately, she locked Ryuji’s character in a combo that took half of his health.
“What the…” Ryuji widened his eyes, the cocky smile leaving his face. “When did you get this good?”
“Akira accompanied me to the arcade a few times,” she said. “You could say it became a new hobby.”
With his first K.O., Ryuji turned to face Akira, an accusatory look on his face.
“Did you plan all this?” he asked.
“Of course,” answered Akira, his mouth full of gummies. “I knew this day would come, and I was ready to sacrifice myself to see your downfall.”
The second round started, and Makoto’s merciless slaughter continued.
“Go, Queen!” cheered Futaba.
The whole room soon started to chant “Queen”, and Ryuji furrowed his brow, outraged.
“Why is everyone against me?” he asked.
“Revenge for Akira’s pride,” said Futaba. “We honor our deceased.”
“I only died once!” answered Akira from the bed.
“And that should be enough for most people,” retorted Ann.
Makoto soon put an end to Ryuji’s misery, and a wave of cheers filled the room.
“Alright, it’s finished,” she said.
“That wasn’t fair!” protested Ryuji. “I wasn’t prepared!”
“Stop whining, Ryuji,” said Morgana, then looked around the room. “Who’s next? Yusuke?”
“I’ll have to pass,” he said with a light smile, his sketchbook in hand. “Your uplifted reactions are quite inspiring, and I want to capture the moment.”
“Inari never changes…” Futaba shook her head.
“I’ll go, then!” said Haru, sitting beside Makoto, taking Ryuji’s controller. “I’m the Beauty Thief, and I’m going to steal your crown.”
Makoto smiled at the challenge.
“You’re welcome to try,” she said.
Ryuji walked away from the group, sitting beside Akira on the bed with a grumpy expression.
“Happy now?” he asked.
Akira shrugged.
“It’s a beginning.”
He offered the bag of gummy bears to Ryuji, who took a handful of them, filling his mouth in an attempt to drown his frustrations.
“If I knew this was how you’d thank me for bringing everyone here…” he complained.
“Then what?” asked Akira.
Ryuji took a few seconds to think, then shrugged.
“I’d bring less snacks for you,” he said. “You don’t deserve them.”
Akira pouted, making Ryuji laugh, placing an arm around his neck.
“C’mon, dude… Don’t make that face!” he said. “You’re making me feel bad.”
“That’s the idea.”
“Why’re you like this?”
“Handsome?” asked Akira, fixing his glasses. “Smart? Perf—”
“Fucking annoying!”
Ryuji tightened his embrace a little, bringing Akira close, making him lean in his direction, messing his hair. Akira couldn’t help but smile at the proximity.
The next round ended with Makoto as the victor, once again. This time, Futaba was the one to volunteer in taking the Queen’s crown from her.
“Is it even fair to let Futaba play?” asked Akira.
“Who else’ll defeat that monster you created?”
“That’s a good point…”
They watched for a while, as Futaba got two victories in a row, and everyone tried to convince Ann to play against her, while Ann protested.
“Poor Ann,” said Ryuji in a tone she could hear. “So young and beautiful, and gone just like that.”
“It was nice while it lasted…” added Akira. “Let’s hope her soul finds the light.”
“Stop talking like I’m dead!” she protested.
Ryuji and Akira assumed a prayer stance, which made Ann approach them in wide steps, taking Akira’s pillow, hitting both with it, until they were two curled balls over the mattress, begging for forgiveness.
“You’ll find the light before I do!” she said.
When she had enough of their suffering, she went back to the group, finally giving in and accepting to fight Futaba.
“That was cruel…” complained Ryuji, sitting with his back against the wall.
“Yeah…” agreed Akira, doing the same. “But we kind of deserved it.”
“We just said the truth! Look.”
Ryuji indicated the television with his head, where Ann’s character was getting beaten to a pulp by Futaba’s.
“Maybe we should change games…” said Akira.
“Not that it’d help stop the tech gremlin.”
“I can hear you,” said Futaba, without moving her eyes away from the screen.
And, with that, Ann was defeated. It started a brief discussion in the group, considering if they should ban Futaba from competitive games or not. Akira and Ryuji stayed in the bed, just watching.
“The Phantom Thieves, in all their glory…” said Akira in a low voice, making Ryuji laugh.
“Not what people expect of us, right?” he said. “Well… At least it’s fun to watch.”
“Don’t you want to join them?”
“Nah… You?”
“I’m good here.”
“You’re so lazy, man…”
“You’re the one to talk.”
Ryuji smiled at him, embracing his shoulders.
“Are you having fun, at least?” he asked.
Akira nodded with a smile.
“Why did you decide to bring everyone here, anyway?” he asked.
Ryuji shrugged.
“Just thought it must be annoying to stay here, alone, every day,” he said.
“Well, that’s true.”
“So,” he proceeded. “I’m just making sure you won’t die from boredom, or something like that.”
“So, are you planning to visit me every single day to make sure I stay alive?”
“If I have to.”
Akira chuckled at that answer.
“I just hope you won’t get tired of me by then,” he said.
“Dude…” Ryuji frowned a little. “There’s no way I’d ever get tired of you.”
Akira looked at him, and, for a moment, they just stared at each other without saying anything. Ryuji was the first to avert his gaze.
“I mean…” he said, sounding a little embarrassed. “You’re my best bro and all that.”
“Yeah…”
In any other situation, Akira would just let that pass. However, part of his brain refused to be rational, and he wasn’t willing to fight against it. Before he could think too much and regret his actions, Akira embraced Ryuji’s waist, burying his face on his friend’s shoulder. For a second, he feared Ryuji would push him away or complain, but, instead, he simply laughed.
“What?” he said. “Man, you’re more clingy than you look.”
“I’m aware of that.”
He felt Ryuji’s hand on his head, playing with his hair, and his heart melted a little.
“You look like an abandoned kitten…” said his friend in a playful tone. “Makes me feel bad about going home and leavin’ you alone.”
“Great. Move to my room.”
“Yeah, yeah… Want me to cook you food and wash your underwear too?”
“That’d be nice.”
“Asshole.”
“C’mon,” protested Akira, “I haven’t left my room in a whole week, and my bruises still hurt… I deserve some love.”
“You do.”
Ryuji’s low, soft voice made Akira raise his head, looking at him. He hesitated for a moment, unsure if he had interpreted that answer wrong, but something in Ryuji’s expression, and the way his hand slowly caressed Akira’s cheek threw his doubts away. They both moved, closing the distance between them, until their lips touched.
Akira had fantasized so much about that first kiss that probably would never happen, that he found it difficult to believe it wasn’t another daydream. However, Ryuji’s warmth and gentle touch reminded him that, yes, that was real… He was kissing his best friend, and it felt amazing.
“Oh my God…”
Ann’s voice called their attention, making them turn to the rest of the group, who watched them with varying degrees of surprise and amusement.
“Finally!” screamed Futaba, throwing both hands in the air.
“An unexpected turn of events…” observed Yusuke.
“Shuddup!” complained Ryuji. “Weren’t y’all so interested in playing games until now?”
“It’s hard to pay attention to any game with the overflowing gay aura in the room,” said Ann.
“I expected more from you, Akira…” Morgana shook his little head. “Why Ryuji, from all people?”
“Don’t be annoying, you stupid cat!”
Akira approached Ryuji, placing a hand on his face, pressing their cheeks together.
“Because he’s beautiful and I cherish him,” he said.
“Don’t make this more embarrassing, you asshole!” protested Ryuji, his face acquiring a bright red tone.
“It’s true, though.”
“That’s so sweet,” said Haru with a smile.
Ryuji groaned, getting up from the bed, pulling Akira by the wrist so he’d do the same.
“You nerds enjoy your game,” he said, already going down the stairs, “we’ll go grab some coffee.”
“Don’t you hate coffee?” asked Makoto.
“I fuckin’ love it!”
Sojiro had closed Leblanc earlier that day, so, as soon as they reached the lower floor, Ryuji placed both hands on Akira’s waist, gently pushing him against the wall, kissing him again.
“So, do you want some coffee?” asked Akira in a playful tone.
Ryuji chuckled in response, tightening his arms around Akira’s waist.
“Nah, I’m fine.”